The Walking Dead Review: Episode 5×13 “Forget”

Is this group too far gone to come back to any kind of civilization? We don’t know, but The Walking Dead is at the top of its game right now and we’re both anxious and scared to find out.

The Walking Dead — As the group struggles, particularly Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green), to adjust to daily life within the walls of Alexandria, Rick (Andrew Lincoln), Carol (Melissa McBride) and Daryl (Norman Reedus) hatch a plan to sneak into the armory and take a handful of rarely used pistols in case things go south. Afterward, with Deanna’s (Tovah Feldshuh) help, Rick and Michonne (Danai Gurira) make plans to better secure the walls and keep round-the-clock sentries in the watchtower to keep Alexandria safe from threats the long-time residents don’t seem to fully comprehend. Meanwhile, Aaron (Ross Marquand) confronts Daryl hunting beyond the walls to encourage Daryl to work to fit in just as Aaron and Eric (Jordan Woods-Robinson) have had to overcome their sexuality to do the same within the group. The two come across a horse the children have named Buttons, but before they can wrangle him, walkers approach sending both men and the horse on the run. Both Aaron and Daryl save each other during the struggle, but find it’s too late for Buttons who is overwhelmed forcing Aaron to end his misery. Later that day, nearly everyone attends a party at Deanna’s house and Rick’s group finds it difficult to fit in or feel comfortable in such a foreign setting. Survival day-to-day has been their life and a party seems very much a surreal experience for all of them. Rick is introduced to Jessie’s (Alexandra Breckenridge) husband Pete (Corey Brill), and when Olivia (Ann Mahoney) enters the party, Carol slips away to sneak into the armory window she left unlocked earlier in the day. As Jessie helps Rick to feel more comfortable in the odd setting of a party, the two share a lingering look when Jessie passes Judith back to Rick’s arms. Agreeing that this place isn’t all that bad, Rick kisses her on the cheek.

RELATED | The Walking Dead 5×12 Review “Remember”

When Sasha arrives at the party, she’s the most uncomfortable of all and as she listens to others engage in trivial conversations, the loss of Tyreese (Chad L. Coleman), Bob (Lawrence Gilliard Jr.) and the constant threat of walkers on the outside flash violently through her mind. Unable to cope, she lashes out and leaves. While the others party, Aaron and Eric invite Daryl for dinner and Aaron asks Daryl to replace Eric as Alexandria’s other recruiter. When Daryl questions Aaron’s motives, Aaron insists it’s because Daryl is good outside the walls and most of all that Daryl knows the difference between good people and bad. While everyone is distracted at the party, Carol slips into the armory, but is confronted by Jessie’s son Sam (Major Dodson) hoping for more of Carol’s cookies. Carol insists Sam keep her presence in the armory a secret by coldly threatening him with exile and a horrible death by walkers if he talks. A horrified Sam agrees. The secret is safe. The next morning Carol hands out the guns, but Daryl, convinced by Aaron and Eric that Alexandria doesn’t pose a threat, refuses. As the episode closes, Constable Rick walks the streets and hears a lone walker on the other side of the metal wall. Alexandria is safe for now, but unknown threats lurk outside and the peace kept inside could be threatened any moment if Rick and his group feel threatened. With everyone in Rick’s family struggling to adjust and Alexandria unaware the group they’ve invited in could be the biggest danger of all, tension is building. Despite the possibility of exile, let’s explore all the ins and outs of this week’s episode of The Walking Dead!

Combat leaves permanent scars. Combat to survive against the undead and the worst humanity can throw at you, does very much the same.

Everyone in Rick’s family is likely suffering from some level of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). How could they not? They’ve fought to survive every day in a world that’s tried like hell to kill them. They’ve faced the horrors of watching their family and friends die around them from both the undead and the dark side of the living. Not to diminish the actual suffering of any soldier who’s faced PTSD from the traumatic events they’ve experienced, but there’s a striking similarity between the reality of war and the fiction of The Walking Dead.

While all the characters are facing the shock of being reinserted into something that resembles a normal life, Sasha seems to be the one person that’s having the hardest time with the adjustment. Her early morning shooting spree and later outburst at the party were pivotal moments. She’s not coping well at all and her moment by moment paranoia of danger around every corner seems to be haunting her relentlessly. Sonequa Martin-Green’s tension filled performance was gutsy and raw.

Sasha is behaving very much like an exposed nerve. Everything grates her and there are only moments it hurts less and none where the pain is completely gone. Between Green’s performance and fantastic editing of flashbacks and sound bites, the party scene effectively became the swirl in her head and we lived it.

Achieving that dizzying feeling was a combination of outstanding direction and editing by David Boyd and Julius Ramsay respectively layered on top of Green’s emotional, quivering delivery. Sasha’s pain of loosing Bob, Tyreese and the ever-present threats in the new world are just now starting to bubble to the surface. She’s repressed them until now, but the quiet of Alexandria, just like the serene homecoming after war, is when the demons in one’s mind attack the most viciously. For her, peace and safety are far from real.

“I’m trying to figure out what it is. What it is exactly.” ~ Deanna

“This–it isn’t real.” ~ Sasha

“Sasha, you’ve been through a lot and I accept that, but what you just said, that’s bullshit.” ~ Deanna

But we know different. Alexandria doesn’t know the horrors outside. They’ve been sheltered. They barely know the troubles the world can provide. Rick, Carol and Daryl secretly plotting to stash guns is their way of keeping fear at bay and being prepared for the worst. The threats are real. They know it. Even as some try to move on, as Michonne does by hanging up the Katana, she knows Abraham is right—it’s always on your back, no matter what you do.

Rick was certainly right about one thing. Alexandria has been extraordinarily lucky. How long that luck holds may depend on how well Alexandria is prepared for the horrors of the real world outside. That readiness may be determined by the people they’ve now invited in who have seen the worst the world can offer. If the newcomers and their preparation save Alexandria, that’s luck indeed.

The Outsiders get each other, though this time there’s no real need for a rumble.

Every society has outsiders. No matter how small or how large, it simply happens. People that are different stand out or are misunderstood. Of all of Rick’s family, Daryl is the one person that seems the most out of place in a residential neighborhood like Alexandria. He wouldn’t have fit there before the zombie apocalypse and he doesn’t seem to fit there now either. Aaron, who has shown himself to be a good judge of character, realized that pretty quickly and Writer Corey Reed brought that to light with dialogue that was sharp and to the point.

“I know you’re feeling like an outsider. It’s not your fault, you know. Eric and I, we’re still looked at as outsiders in a lot of ways. We’ve heard our fair share of well-meaning, but hilariously offensive things from some otherwise really nice men and women. People are people. The more afraid they get, the more stupid they get. Fear shrinks the brain. They’re scared of you and me for different reasons. They’re less scared of me because they know me. It’s less and less every day. So let them get to know you.” ~ Aaron

We thought it was a bold and smart choice by the writing team to recognize that Aaron and Eric have a similar outsider understanding of Alexandria as Daryl. What made the choice daring, and the payoff at the end even better, was imagining Daryl and who he was before society was flushed away and the dead ruled the land.

The influence of Merle (Michael Rooker) would have had a significant impact on Daryl’s view of the world for much of his life and it’s no secret that Merle hated (or at least ridiculed) anyone that was different. Race, creed, culture and even sexual orientation were all likely targets for Merle’s barbs. Merle spewed a lot of hate and under the influence of his brother, we could easily see Daryl following suit just to stay in character with who Merle though Daryl should be.

But Daryl has emerged from his brother’s shadow since the apocalypse and is much more emotionally secure in many ways. So the decision by the writing team for Aaron to be the one person that recognizes the good traits in Daryl, despite what others may assume about him and miss, was a stroke of genius.

Nothing solidifies that kind of writing decision more than something two characters can bond over. Saving each other’s lives and then the loss of Buttons was something that connected these two men. As different as they may be from each other, recognizing those differences as a common element made this paring work.

We’ve liked Aaron from the beginning and though Ross Marquand and Norman Reedus play radically different characters, these two actors did an exemplary job of showing a bond without needing to give us many clues. Aaron’s words show his heart and his mind. And when those words resonated with Daryl over Buttons and the motorcycle it struck a chord.

Daryl is a man of few words. His actions reflect his inner being. And as these two came to an understanding in Aaron’s garage, Reedus let us know with just his eyes and simple expressions just how profound a moment the connection was for these two. Daryl needed acceptance and Aaron said the one thing that made that acceptance stick with who Daryl is now versus the Merle clone he used to be.

“I told Deanna not to give you a job because I think I have one for you. I’d like you to be Alexandria’s other recruiter. I don’t want Eric risking his life anymore.” ~ Aaron

“You want me risking mine, right?” ~ Daryl

“Yeah, because you know what you’re doing. You’re good out there. But you don’t belong out there. I know it’s hard getting used to people getting used to you. And I understand right now you need to be out there sometimes. So do I. But the main reason why I want you to help me recruit is because you do know the difference between a good person and a bad person.” ~ Aaron

This was an incredible growth moment for Daryl. As subtle as the emotions were, the shift for him was dramatic. He became who he is out in the chaotic world of the dead. He said as much when helping Aaron try to corral Buttons. He was out there long enough to become who he is and at his heart, Daryl is a good man. Perhaps the best on this show in many ways. He’s fiercely loyal and when respected and treated as an equal, his quiet determination and fight for his new-found family very much define the man he is now.

So it was surprising, and at the same time very logical, when Rick and Carol handed out the stolen guns, that Daryl refused. Ironically, the consummate outsider may be the first to truly feel like Alexandria is home and if Aaron is right, Daryl knows in his heart that the people there are mostly good and worth fighting for in the end.

Darth Carolus shouldn’t even be a surprise at this point. It was, but that’s just great writing and acting that caught us off guard.

Anyone who doesn’t recognize the that the transformation of Carol from the meek, frightened and abused wife to the confident, crafty and even frightening woman willing to do what ever she has to do in order to keep her loved ones safe hasn’t been watching the same show we have. Carol, and her portrayal by Melissa McBride is one of the more remarkable character evolutions on television today and certainly one of the most dramatic on The Walking Dead.

Many a meme, joke or reference has been made of Carol’s heart-wrenching moment telling Lizzie (Brighton Sharbino) to look at the flowers. As much fun as the fandom of The Walking Dead has had with that moment, Carol’s willingness to kill the first victims of the disease in the prison or her dramatic and explosive rescue of the group at Terminus, it’s all out of respect and admiration for this  complex character McBride has helped construct.

But did anyone truly see Dark Carol coming before she emerged in the pantry to scare the socks off of poor Sam (Major Dodson)? We certainly didn’t, but after thinking about it a bit more, that moment was very much in line with who Carol is now and McBride may well have delivered the darkest moment of the show to date. Carol is a no-nonsense woman at this point in her life. And her priority is the sole protection of her family. So while her threats to Sam may have seemed extreme, she did exactly what she has proven time and again she will do—what is necessary to protect the group.

“You can never tell anyone, especially your mom. Because if you do one morning you’ll wake up and you won’t be in your bed.” ~ Carol

“Where will I be?” ~ Sam

“You’ll be outside the walls far, far away tied to a tree. And you’ll scream and scream because you’ll be so afraid. No one will come to help because no one will hear you. Well, something will hear you. The monsters will come. The ones out there. And you won’t be able to run away when they come for you. And they will tear you apart and eat you up all while you’re still alive. All while you can still feel it. And then afterwards, no one will ever know what happened to you. Or you can promise not to ever tell anyone what you saw here and then nothing will happen. And you’ll get cookies. Lots of cookies. I know what I think you should do.” ~ Carol

Oddly enough, in a strange way, Carol likely rationalized this moment as good for Sam. All of Alexandria has lived a sheltered life and Carol has been an advocate for some time that even the children of this world need to learn the dangers and be able to protect themselves. While keeping the gun secret was definitely the short-term gain, Sam is likely to never forget the speech and someday, the fear it instilled, it may even save his life.

Carol has done exactly what she set out to do. She’s become largely invisible by blending in with the group. Her years of pretending with Ed likely taught her well how to fake the moment and she’s using those skills to the utmost now. Questions around the moment with Sam will likely linger amongst fans for some time. Was it the darkest in the history of the show? The answer is debatable, but it certainly ranks near the top.

Carol’s one mistake, and a smart aside shown, was taking the extra chocolate. If more cookies, even the bribery kind, show up later, Olivia may very well know someone snuck in to the pantry and who. If Olivia goes looking, she may very well piece together that guns are missing. While it doesn’t seem likely that Olivia would make this jump based on missing guns alone, since she seems to not keep very careful stock of them, the chocolate on the other hand may be a problem. Olivia seems to keep much better tabs on the food than the guns. A fatal flaw perhaps, but one that could bite Carol later.

Regardless, Melissa McBride absolutely shined in her shadowy moment. She’s had countless good ones throughout this series, but this one may rank right up there as one of the most memorable. Carol believes the guns are necessary no matter which way things go: good or bad. And McBride’s brilliance as an actor and Corey Reed’s spectacular dialogue made us believe she’d do absolutely anything to get them out undetected. Just take the cookies Sam and be very afraid if she tells you to look at the flour.

FINAL VERDICT: The Walking Dead keeps bringing it down the stretch run. We had a feeling things would improve and we’re glad to say we were right and then some.

Okay Scott M. Gimple. We’re letting bygones be bygones. We busted your chops for not understanding many moments in the first half of this season, but we’re coming around because you and the writing team have hit your stride in the back half of the season. We still have things we need to see. Primarily grief from all the losses this group has experienced hit home amidst the quiet of Alexandria. We saw Sasha’s this week and there’s more to see. But this show is peaking at the right time for an outstanding end of the season run and we’re glad we hung in to be here for that ride.

The primary question that will linger, for however long this group is in Alexandria, will be if they can ever truly come back from a pure survival mode and achieve any kind of normalcy again. Some are likely to reach that place sooner than others and some, perhaps Sasha may take a long time to get there or possibly never fully recover. Time will tell, but we do love the character arcs we see emerging in Alexandria. There are more we want to see unfold, but the struggles of Sasha, Michonne and Rick have all been exemplary  development from characters we know very well.

We also loved the choice by the writing team to connect Aaron and Daryl. Two characters that likely would have never seen eye-to-eye in the old world can find unique common ground in the new one. Writer Corey Reed laid out some outstanding dialogue between these two and both Reedus and Marquand ran with it to make the most of the bonding on film. That’s simply great storytelling and equally fantastic performances to deliver something unexpected and beautiful. We would have never put these characters together, but now we’re looking forward to the connection they share growing.

We still want to see more from the rest of our group in Alexandria. In particular, Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and Glenn (Steven Yeun) who have been largely in the background save Glenn’s encounter with Aiden (Daniel Bonjour) in the last episode. Maggie still carries a lot of grief that she hasn’t dealt with since before the barn. She’s lost nearly as much as Sasha and that must be lingering. Granted she has Glenn to lean on, but the grief of both of them is something that should probably come to the forefront a bit before anything crazy happens in Alexandria. We certainly hope to see it.

Director David Boyd did a fantastic job of orchestrating this episode. We’ve not had much criticism of the direction for any of the episodes this year, even when we didn’t agree with the writing, but he drew out great performances from the dinner party, especially from Sonequa Martin-Green. The entire sequence where her world swirls around her was brilliantly done and we know that crafty work by Editor Julius Ramsay helped make that sequence as surreal and disturbing as it felt. There are others that deserve credit for certain, but these three and all the performers in the scene, brought together a pivotal point in Sasha’s arc through an iconic image from the comics. That deserves props all around.

Everything happening in Alexandria feels very much like the quiet before the storm and we’re fairly certain that this storm won’t pass by easily like the one at the barn. We haven’t ignored “the kiss” from Rick to Jessie. That’s part of the brewing storm. The W’s on the walkers also mean something and there’s too many people both inside and out of the walls with secrets. Ultimately both sides, the group already at Alexandria and Rick’s family, may find themselves in a do or die situation that requires they set aside whatever misunderstandings they may have. Until then, we expect to see both groups continue to struggle to find harmony—perhaps with a little chaos before that harmony is reached. We do know this, we’ll be watching next week to see how things shake down in Alexandria and if these groups can come to terms before the outside world catches up to them!

Questions, Comments, Concerns and My reaction on Twitter…

• If we had Olivia’s number we’d so ring it to see what happens.
• I think the stock photos are silly too Sasha, but I usually keep the frames. Nice shooting btw.
• They are the luckiest damned people. They found us. Are they?
• W? It’s just missing a TF to reflect what I’m thinking.
• Keep up. And keep quiet. That’s Daryl Dixon Aaron. 😉
• I want something in return. Just a party?
• Need anything else..you hit me girl! Don’t tempt her.
• I get to be invisible again. Carol is brilliant.
• I was wondering when the tower would become a topic.
• The longer they are out there the more they become what they are. #Prophetic
• That’d be nice. Thanks Tobin. I don’t trust him.
• They have beer. I’ll try. Everybody has their motivations.
• Damn. That Daryl & Aaron moment was the most heartbreaking I’ve seen on this show in a while. Man enough to admit tears.
• He always ran. You were trying to help him. Who are you helping now Aaron?
• You’re here with family. Dammit Noah. Between you & Buttons I’m hitting the feels tonight.
• I got it. Uh oh. Tension much?
• Guess who’s coming to dinner?
• Drop the pasta maker Eric.
• Live by it. Die by it. Eat potato puffs by it. #ThingsAbrahamSays
• You DO know the difference between a good person and a bad person. That made my day. Daryl needed that.
• I’d rather have the cookies Carol. Please. Let me have the cookies now. Cause I’m freakin out!!
• Awe hell. She’s got the baby. Uh .. did THAT just happen Rick? Pete’s not gonna like.
• Ahh. Now I get it. Flour, flowers. Check for a puddle in the pantry after that. #DarkCarol
• Bangin on that metal wall..causes a LOT of noise. #JustSayin
• It is official. Carol is the MOST dangerous, badass person on this show. Disagree?Your argument is invalid.